I realize that the county would like a new pool of cash to fund our many meaningful social service programs. However, asking for a vacation rental fee is interfering with the ability of the private citizen to conduct business as usual on a deeded piece of land, which of course, is privately owned. This ownership comes with certain rights including, but not limited to no taxation without fair representation. Where is the representation? First owners get a few dollars ahead but let’s not forget this money is to let strangers into your home.

Then the county snoops Trip Advisor and Air B&B and decides “Hey that’s a pie we don’t have our fingers in.” Shame on getting ahead or over-making money on your investment property without the man and his handout.

Enough of the pie, so let’s levy a fee if these people wanna do this. Do hotels or other lodging opportunities have to pay like the county is asking private citizens to do?

I say: county, keep your hand warm in your own pocket. We need room for our hands in our pockets to stay warm – thanks anyway.

I may be guilty of not reading the fine print but unless that fine print promises new school books and higher wages for our teachers then it would seem that nothing was missed in the fine print at all. It’s still just an over-reaching of authority in an attempt to propose exclusionary fees that seem to punish those who own and attempt to reap a reward unhindered. Is this not the American way? Remember a fountain of ink feeds an ocean of ideas. An ocean of ideas feeds a thousand thinking fish, so what do you think?

Dave Dunlap

Orcas Island